


A Bitty Bonely

by SalemLucidEster



Category: Bitty Bones - Fandom, Bittybones AU - Fandom, Undertale
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:18:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7661032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalemLucidEster/pseuds/SalemLucidEster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Salem is not one to take care of people. She can barely take care of herself. But when she helps a strange bitty running from a wild dog, she gets more than she bargained for. She thought she would just be able to drop it off at the adoption center. That would be the end of it, just a simple act of kindness. NOPE! She not only finds the strange bitty back at her house, but it won't leave her side. No matter how hard she tries. Finally accepting her fate, Salem becomes dangerously attached to the bitty, the bitty even more so to her. Naming the unknown bitty 'Xee', Salem starts her new life. One where she's a bitty less bonely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Obligatory Boring Intro

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N) I do NOT own Bittybones AU. Bitties are originally created by fucken-crybaby on tumblr. I only own my precious babu Xee!
> 
> Rated 'M' for NSFW content... Enjoy the stupidity...

The biggest "trend" right now? Not that Salem would  _ ever _ be the one to ask, but even she noticed the strange craze spreading throughout society like a pandemic. The damned thing was even causing legal issues. But that was to be expected. This wasn't just some new toy, phone, or car that everyone absolutely needed in their life. No, this was a living being. And not just some new mix breed or exotic pet like a dog or chinchilla. These were sentient beings! They had feelings and personalities, and they were smart. This was exactly the reason so many legal issues were being thrown around. They were their own person. But they were  _ anything _ but human. No, they were  _ monsters _ . Teeny tiny monsters, often no larger than seven inches tall. Though there were a few cases of some being around a foot tall.

 

Said legal issues included rights, protection, and most of all ownership.  _ Ownership _ . A scowl spread across Salem's face at the thought. While they were sentient, they had the same social status as pets. Actually, less than that. They were considered the same as mere property. Now, they tried to make it sound better by saying you had to adopt one. The government and media explained that it was dangerous for them in this world since they were so small. But that didn't stop the prejudice, abuse, and illegal actions taken upon them. They were simply the new biggest thing that anyone and everyone had to have.

 

That's not to say humans weren't making progress. In certified adoption centers, people couldn't pay for a bitty. They had to rightfully adopt them. There was talk about doing backup checks and an interview with potential owners, but that has yet to be enforced by the law and thus not in practice. There was also a law saying that if a bitty were found to be abused by the owner, they would be relocated and given to a new family. Though again, that was an action rarely enforced. Police had more important things to worry about. Apparently.

 

Of course, there was a group of activists that demanded equality between humans and bitties. Though lately their actions have been leaning more towards terrorism and rioting. There seemed to be no winning with these things. Kind of like human rights it would appear. Letting out a sigh, Salem spun herself in her swivel chair as if to clear her head of all the politics of this. There were other things she could think about. Like the fact that she had never actually met a bitty in person. The closet she got was her coworkers talking about their bitties, or their relatives' bitties, while working. Sure, Salem had managed to sneak a peak of a few bitties with their owners. But there has yet to be an adoption center built in her town, so those were few and far between. That mixed with the fact that Salem was a recluse meant she had only managed to see them from over twenty feet away.

 

Actually, scratch that. An adoption center was due to open downtown tomorrow. It was sure to be packed. Shivering at the thought of so many people in one place, Salem looked back to her computer screen. She was actually doing mild research on bitties. Nothing serious, just looking up the different kinds and how to care for them. And by mild research, I mean she was studying the stuff like her life depended on it. At first it was just curiosity that made her look into it, with the shop opening up. But upon seeing all the types, her inner fangirl switch turned to 'ON'. This was worse than when she researched mythology. Salem had no intention of owning a bitty. Responsibility and commitment weren't really her thing. But at this point, she was pretty much full of random bitty facts and could probably tell you the personality of each bitty type by heart. Not that she ever would. That's creepy. While by no means an expert, Salem knew more about bitties than most owners. Not that she realized this.

 

Somehow now looking at bitty clothing stores and dollhouses, a blip sounded, signifying that her Discord messenger demanded her attention. Without blinking, Salem pulled up the window to see she was now in a group chat of her grand total of two friends. Riley and Lex  were surprisingly talking about the very topic Salem was researching. Being the little shit she was, Salem just read the conversation for the longest time without participating. It wasn't until they were asking where she was that Salem spoke up.

 

Salem: Isn't it odd though?

Riley: Wut?

Salem: Don't they kind of remind you guys of that one game? Undertale?

Lex: Oh, that's not creepy at all.

Riley: omg You're right!

Salem: Seriously though. Does no one else notice this?

Riley: Stop breaking the fourth wall. Anyway, Salem, before we added you, we thought it would be cool to check out the new adoption center!

Salem: Oh god. Guys, really?

Lex: Well obviously not tomorrow. We don't have a death wish.

Riley: None of us are good with crowds Salem. We'll wait a while.

Salem: Oh... Well, I guess. Don't expect me to get one though.

Riley: Why not?! This is totally your kind of thing!

Lex: Yeah, I thought you would be jumping all over this.

Salem: Responsibility and I don't mix. You guys wouldn't trust me with a knife, but will allow me to take care of a sentient living being?

Riley: ... You're right. Never mind!

Lex: I'd hate to see you as a mother XD

Salem: Well, Ima sleep.

Lex: Didn't you just wake up?

Salem: Oh screw you guys. Let me dream! Literally!

Riley: Sleep hun. Night!

Lex: Good night!

Salem: Nighty noo~

 

Still smiling, Salem turned off her light and hugged her pillow. Sleep surprisingly quickly overtook her.

 

~*~

 

Two months passed by in a sort of daze. Though that was probably solely due to the two jobs Salem had juggled with her excessive sleeping needs. She liked to sleep a lot! So what? Today however, she had one of her rare days off. It would seem her friends knew this too as they scheduled around this. Salem mentally scolded herself for not noticing this earlier, but shook it off as she got dressed. Black leggings, dark blue shorts, steel toe boots, a baggy black t-shirt with some fandom on it, and a black hoodie. Tying up her hair and putting on a black newsboy cap, Salem walked out of her room and grabbed her bag. That of which jingled due to the sheer amount of weeby keychains and buttons covering it. She regret nothing. Riley had come to pick up Salem and was already waiting for her by the door while bouncing on her feet. Smiling and shaking her head, Salem quickly left the house she still shared with her family.

 

"So, who's driving? And more importantly, where are we going again?"

 

Rolling her eyes playfully, Riley walked over to Salem's car and stood by the passenger door. Guess that means Salem was driving then. Pulling out her keys, also weeb-ified, Salem unlocked the car and got in.

 

"No, but seriously, where are we going?

 

"Really Salem? We're meeting up with Lex downtown. We're finally gonna see the bitty center!"

 

"Oh... Huh... Okay then. Still not getting one though."

 

"Just get going! We're going to lunch afterwards."

 

Salem perked up a bit at this. They were going to  _ feed _ her! Despite living with her parents and brother, Salem still had a horrible habit of just not eating. She just wasn't ever hungry, and tended to forget she needed digestible organic matter to function as the human being she so often forgot she was. As this was well known by her friends, they used to joke about who was going to feed Salem. However, now it was actually a thing. So whenever they all went out, they would buy Salem food. Not to say Salem was mooching off them. In fact she bought them stuff all the time. They actually owed her a yacht at this point. Each. But food was good enough for this girl. That and their undying loyalty and servitude... I mean friendship. Yeah, that.

 

Pulling into the parking lot, Salem turned off the car and sighed. She hated driving. She really did. Getting out and following her friendo, Salem waved to her other friendos as they walked up to them.

 

"I know you said  _ you _ weren't gonna get any, but I plan on getting one... Or two."

 

Lex smirked as Salem raised a brow at her news. Letting out a huff of a laugh, Salem shook her head and motioned forward.

 

"Live yur dream, dudes."

 

Without a word, the group made their way into the store. They all looked excited to finally be able to meet bitties up close. Over the two months, bitties had become more common in the area, but Salem still managed to somehow not meet one. It was actually kinda weird, but she paid no mind to it. Looking up from the counter, a ginger smiled at the three girls and straightened up. He was tall. That was the only thing Salem really noticed about the young man. Though he seemed to notice more about them. With a skip in his step, the man came over to the group and started talking. Not that Salem paid much mind. He asked the basic questions, are you thinking to adopt, any idea what you're looking for. That kind of stuff. Though went he started asking for phone numbers, Salem had to stifle a snort. She honestly wanted to see this. It happened often and the group now had a sort of script for this situation. First Lex, then Riley, and Salem. Oddly enough, everything they said was actually true. But damn did it do its job to shut shit down.

 

"I'm demisexual."

 

“Asexual homoromantic."

 

The ginger looked to Salem, with a dying glimmer of hope. Smirking evilly, Salem prepared her line.

 

"Hmm, oh me? I'm crazy."

 

"Aw, I'm sure your fine babe."

 

Twitching at this, Salem's smirk grew wider.

 

"Oh yeah, the voices agree with you. But then, my doctor doesn't. They say not to listen to them though. Would you believe that not taking your meds for over a month can cause visual hallucinations? I mean, I'm used to the auditory ones. But like... Seeing shadow animals still makes me swerve my car every now and then. Ya know?"

 

The ginger visibly backed down and even took a step back. Goal accomplished. Steam achievement anyone? No? Eh, I guess that only happens in fanfics involving falling into your favorite AU of a fandom or something. Still proud of scaring the man away, Salem smiled to her friends. They gave various glares of amusement and false disappointment. Giggling, Salem left the group and browsed the store as her friends went straight to the interaction area. It was like a play pin. A giant playpen. Creepy. Salem decided to join her friend later. Let them bond and shit. They were the ones getting bitties after all. So they should be around them longer. That and Salem had a feeling they would forget to buy the basics for their new buddies.

 

Being the great friend she was, Salem bought some necessities for any bitty they might get along with and a book that had more information than Salem could find online. She also asked the ginger, who was polite but obviously nervous, about any starter packs they had. Buying two, Salem grabbed her bags and went over to the play pin. Resting her bags and sling bag against the outer wall, Salem climbed over the two foot wall and joined her friends.

 

"Ya guys decide yet? No rush or anything, but-"

 

"OHMAIGAWD Salem! Look at them all!"

 

Sighing, Salem sat herself down next to Riley as a bunch of bitties crawled over her. Sitting criss-cross and resting her chin on her palm, Salem smiled for her friend.

 

"Yes, they are all quite adorable."

 

Lex seemed to have narrowed down her choices but kept playing with the various bitties.

 

"Salem! I can't! They're all so cute! It's not fair. I can't choose."

 

"Then don't? This isn't a decision that should be made on impulse. Besides, you can always come back, right?"

 

"Y-yeah. Thanks."

 

Smiling and nodding, Salem laughed as she noticed a bitty walk up to her and glare.

 

"ya must feel all high 'n mighty talkin' like that sweetheart. i bet yur just saying that cause ya don't know anythin' 'bout us!"

 

Raising a brow and fighting a smile, Salem looked down at the red clad bitty.

 

"I know you are an Underfell Sans, more commonly referred to as Edgy. You have a brother, though you shouldn't be adopted together. At least, not if the person will be leaving you alone for hours at a time. You have a volatile temper and a mouth to match. You break things and get cranky. But you also are very protective and loyal once you bond to someone. Not that you'd admit it. Right? So tsundere."

 

Edgy was turning redder and redder as Salem kept talking. Partially from and anger and partially from embarrassment. By the time Salem was done, the poor thing was practically glowing and turned away with a huff.

 

"bitch. lemme guess, ya own a bunch of us already."

 

"Nope. I haven't adopted a single bitty. I don't even plan on it. I'm just a  _ nerd _ ."

 

At first, Edgy was going to attack Salem on her not owning a bitty, but her bashing herself kinda shut that down and he just grumbled as he shuffled away. Grinning in victory, Salem turned to her friends. Lex made her choice and Riley followed Salem's advice. Following the group to the counter, Salem eyed the bitties. A classic Sans and a blueberry. At least they would get along. Though classic sans might miss his brother at first.

 

"So these are your new friends huh? Good choices actually."

 

Lex smiled; glad their friend approved and supported her decision.

 

"So, you two volunteered as tribute huh?"

 

"NO! BUT WE DECIDED TO GO HOME WITH THIS HUMAN! THE MIGHTY SANS IS GLAD TO ACCOMPANY HER!”

 

“heh, guess you could say we were hungry for companionship."

 

Covering her mouth as she snorted, Salem looked to her friends.

 

"Just making sure, but you asked them if they wanted to be adopted, right?"

 

"Well duh. I'm not that inconsiderate. Though I didn't quite word it that way."

 

Nodding in approval, Salem grabbed her various bags and walked back to the counter. Papers were just finished being signed when Salem decided to show her friends their presents.

 

"Oh, since ya'll took so dang long, I got you guys the basics. I'm keeping the book though. But you don't have to worry about getting supplies for at least a week. Save up some money to get things these cuties want."

 

"Dammit Salem! We talked about this!"

 

"We never once talked about me buying you bitty basics."

 

"You know what I mean! We already owe you our souls!"

 

"Heh, just be glad I won't be collecting that debt. Anyway, I believe I was promised food?"

 

A playful groan spread throughout the group as the bitties watched in utter confusion. Talking to each other about various things, the now larger group left the adoption center and headed towards a nearby cafe only walking distance away.


	2. It's ALIVE!

The group left the cafe around an hour later. Salem got her free food and was now ready for a nap. But everyone else had different plans. They wanted to go back to Lex's apartment to hang out a bit longer and help the bitties get used to their new home. While the idea of setting up a bitty zone for the new friendos sounded fun, Salem doubted that Lex would let her do very much. Which was fair considering it was her house. That and Salem would probably crash if she pushed herself. It was her first day off in a while, and all her friends knew she pushed herself despite almost always sleeping. So with this in mind, Riley suggested that Salem just go home and that they could drive Riley back to get her car later.

 

Hesitantly agreeing to this, Salem walked them all to the car and waved like a maniac as they drove off. Once out of sight, Salem sighed and pulled out her phone. Skimming through various fanfictions she might want to read, Salem walked back to her car. Thinking back to their lunch, Salem found herself wondering about the bitties. Blueberry was so sweet and energetic. However, he was too... Salem really wasn't sure what it was, but it made her uncomfortable. Their innocence and kindness almost scared her. Not scared for them, but of them. No one else seemed to have this problem. It was pretty silly to be scared of little Blue. They were so nice, but they made Salem feel strange.

 

Sans on the other hand, Salem could get along with quite well. Not that she demanded his attention in any way. Actually she spoke the least out of everyone there. She was just glad to watch and listen to them all bond. It was cute. But Sans did manage to pull as few comments out of her. They both enjoyed a good nap and his puns were great, though Salem couldn't make one for the life of her. They wouldn't be a good match though, were Salem to adopt one. They were too similar; lazy, depressed, and dark minded. They would probably enforce each other's bad habits. Not a good thing.

 

Blinking, Salem realized that she was actually thinking as if she were going to adopt a bitty. She wasn't. But damn did she really want to. Meeting them in person made Salem's resolve start to crumble. But she held to her resolve and pushed the thought from her mind. Clicking on a random fanfic she had found, Salem started to read as she continued her slow trek back to her car. Where exactly did she park again? Oh, right, by the ally. Huh. That was stupid. It was getting dark out, seeing as they left during the late afternoon.

 

"Heh, if this were a horror movie, I'd be walking to my grave right now. Would probably drop my keys running away too. Pfft, stupid... Ya hear that creepy killer? I ain't gonna be an idiot and drop my keys! I won't trip either!"

 

Not even caring that she just shouted this out loud into the dark, Salem kept walking and pressed the button to unlock her car. The thing lit up, showing its exact location across the parking lot. One could still make out the Cheshire cat antenna topper in the dark. Looking back down at her phone, Salem sped over to her car. Just before she opened the door to get in she heard a strange sound. Something between a 'zap' and a 'pew', quickly followed by a dog yelping and something crashing. Freezing in place, Salem made a 'you have got to be fucking with me' face. Expecting another doggy yelp or screech, Salem was surprised to hear the dog bark almost in a rabid manner. Another crash was heard, this time something metal, and one could easily hear the dog scrambling after something.

 

"I swear, if that dog is after a poor animal Ima kick its head..."

 

If it weren't obvious, Salem wasn't exactly a huge fan of dogs. They were fine, but nothing she wanted to deal with personally. Not to mention a few stray feral dogs had been seen roaming around and were reported to be attacking pets and children. They weren't a priority though with all the bear sightings and local gators causing havoc. But a dog? Salem could handle a stupid dog. Grinding her teeth, Salem opened the door and threw her bag in. Shoving her phone in her pocket, Salem looked around and found a rather hefty piece of asphalt that broke off in the gravel. Picking it up, along with a few smaller pieces, Salem jogged over to the ally and took a deep break.

 

Whatever the damned dog was after, the thing had managed to wedge itself between a dumpster and a wall. The dog was snapping at the space between and actually hurting itself to try and reach it. With a better look, the dog was drooling heavily and seemed mad. At least it didn't obviously have rabies. Sucking in a breath, Salem screeched out at the beasty. At first she didn't get its attention, but after a few more yells and colorful insults, the dog finally noticed her. Giving her a deep growl, the dog faced her but held its position.

 

"Get out ya stupid mutt! Leave the poor thing alone! Whatever it is..."

 

Snapping its jaw, the dog took a menacing step towards Salem. She could have probably thought this through better, but it was too late now to just walk away. Taking one of the smaller rocks, Salem chucked it at the dog. And missed. Cursing herself, Salem repeated the action until one finally hit the dog in the nose. This only managed to piss the beast off and caused it to leap towards her. With a yelp, Salem accidentally chucked the big chunk of stone at the mutt. To everyone's surprise, especially hers, she actually hit the thing in the face. Hard. With a yelp, the dog backed off with lowered ears and ran out of the ally. Taking a deep breath, Salem crouched down to her knees and shook her head.

 

"I am NEVER doing that again... I'm an  _ idiot _ . Only protagonists do this shit... Stupid. Stupid... It was probably a rat too. Or possum... Heh, possum. Okay, I'm really ready for bed now... Bye Mr. Critter! Enjoy another night of life!"

 

Salem straightened up and dusted herself off. Turning around to go back to her car, Salem paused when she heard a whimper. It was quiet, but obviously not made by an animal. Raising a brow, Salem looked back towards the dumpster. Seeing nothing, Salem was about to walk off again until something tugged on her leggings. Something sharp, like holy shit ow that was gonna bleed. Looking down startled, Salem jumped seeing a little skeleton by her foot. It was a bitty! A shivering bitty wearing nothing but a rag that covered what needed to be.

 

"SHI- Um... Hi?"

 

Crouching back down, Salem looked at the bitty a bit better. Its hands were more like claws and they were sharp. That must have been what cut her. Surprisingly, they still functioned well as hands. The things skull was strange too. It looked nothing like any other bitties Salem had seen. It was closest to a Horror!Sans, but that still wasn't quite right. It was obvious that the jaw could detach from the skull, and its fangs were sharp to a point. It even had little horns. Realizing the poor thing was still shivering, Salem looked at them in worry.

 

"Are... You okay? Ya cold? Or just scared? Shit... Um... Would you mind if I tou-... Erm..."

 

As Salem spoke, she reached out her hand, but realizing that could be taken as a threatening gesture, she hesitated and pulled back. Oddly enough the little monster didn't flinch and only looked at her hand with slit eyes. But when she started to pull back, the thing seemed to panic and launch itself at Salem's hand. Scared it was going to bite her, Salem flinched and closed her eyes. However, instead of feeling pain, she found the small skeleton pressing itself to her palm and hugging her fingers like a life-line. The poor thing was freezing, answering her earlier question. Slightly flustered, Salem brought her other hand down and wrapped it softly around the skelly. This seemed to calm it down a bit.

 

"I'm... I'm gonna pick you up okay? Uh... don't freak out or anything."

 

With slow and gentle movements, Salem picked up the bitty and stood up. Bringing it closer to her chest in a double attempt to keep it warm and not drop it, Salem looked back to her car. She could at least let it calm down some and turn on the heater for it. Following this train of thought, Salem took the bitty into her car and closed the door. Turning on the overhead light, Salem cranked up the heater and waited for the blowing air to warm up. Looking down at the bitty in her hands, Salem frowned. There was no way she could keep it. Her best bet would be to take it to the adoption center. It might still be open since it was still relatively new. As the air started to get uncomfortable, Salem gently pulled the bitty clinging to her shirt and held it in front of the heater.

 

It seemed reluctant to let go, but settled with holding to Salem's thumb tightly. Feeling the warm air, the bitty stopped shaking and maneuvered so that it was closer to the heater while still holding Salem. Moving her hands more so it was in a more comfortable position, Salem held the bitty there until it stopped shivering. Her arms were screaming to relax, but she just lowered the bitty to her lap.

 

"Soooo... I'm not really sure what to do here. I'll take you to a safe place though! You'll be taken care of well and get a new home. I'm gonna drive, so just... Hold on to me I guess? It shouldn't take long."

 

The bitty tilted it's head but did as Salem told it. Buckling up, Salem drove and pulled up directly in front of the adoption center. Turning off the car and getting out, Salem carried the bitty and was glad to find the place still open. With a relieved sigh, Salem walked inside and looked to the counter. Luckily the staff seemed to have switched shifts and a woman was at the counter. With a nervous smile, Salem walked up to her and placed the bitty on the counter.

 

"Hi. Sorry to bother you so late. I kinda found this bitty in the ally not too far. I would ask if you lost one, but it obviously hasn't been cared for properly in a long time. A rabid dog was trying to eat it... Um... I'm not really sure what to do so I guess I leave it here?"

 

The woman smiled and listened understandingly. When Salem finished, the girl gave a small gasp and cooed down at the dirty bitty on the counter. It seemed to hate the affection and pushed her away a little roughly.

 

"You're right, he doesn't seem to do well with humans. This might cause some problems. Luckily there's a rather large market for difficult bitties."

 

"Uh, I guess. It was fine with me... So you can take care of it?"

 

" _ It _ , is a  _ he _ . And yes, we should be able to fix him right up and find him a wonderful home. Though, with him acting like this, it might take a while."

 

"Oh. Well, then I guess that's it? I'll just leave him to your care then. Well, nice meeting ya little buddy. Try and stay out of troub-"

 

The woman attempted to grab the bitty, but he struggled rather violently. Once Salem said she was leaving, he struggled more, even going as far as biting the woman. With a screech, the woman dropped the bitty boy and drew her bloody hand back to her chest. That was a nasty ass bite, a simple band aid wouldn't fix that. With unnatural calmness, Salem grabbed a handful of tissues from the nearby box and pressed them to the lady's wound. As she did this, the bitty ran over to Salem. Though seeing her ignore him he quickly blipped out of sight.

 

"Don't panic. Breathe normally. And keep pressure on it. You're fine. Do you have a first aid kit? Or a cloth?"

 

The woman, obviously freaking out, tried to calm herself and pointed to a box under the counter. Coming around, Salem got the box and opened it. Finding only the basics, Salem tsked and looked to the woman. Grabbing more tissues, Salem gently grabbed the woman's hand. The tissues she had now were already soaked.

 

"We have to change the tissues. Try not to look okay? When they're switched, I'll call an ambulance."

 

"Y-yeah..."

 

Doing as she said, Salem quickly switched out the tissues. In doing so, she managed to see the wound and cringed. Now, Salem was no doctor, but that would definitely need stitches. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Salem dialed 911 and got an ambulance to come. Sitting the lady down to keep her from getting dizzy, Salem handed her the box of tissues and a cup of water. It wasn't until after that, that Salem noticed they had all the bitties' attention. Frowning slightly, Salem stood up and looked around. Most were already put in their cages for the night.  _ Cages _ .

 

"Do any of you know healing magic?"

 

"I DO HUMAN! W-WHY?"

 

"Do you think you could help her? If she keeps going like this, she might pass out... That's very bad."

 

"I-I CAN TRY! BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN HEAL HER..."

 

"That's completely fine. Just try to slow down the bleeding if you can. Anything will help."

 

Walking over to the cage of Papys, Salem held out her hand for the one she was talking to and carried him over to the woman when he jumped on. Placing the Pap down next to the woman, she seemed to brighten up a bit. Pap got to work and a green glow emanated from him hands and eyes. With that taken care of, Salem let herself relax a bit and sat on the ground. Leaning her head back against the wall, Salem closed her eyes and breathed. She was still calm, though she honestly wondered how long that would last. Dissociation could only do so much and the reality of this situation would come crashing down on her soon. She just needed to wait for it.

 

After a moment of sitting, Salem felt something once again pulling on her leggings. Only this time it was much more careful. Opening her eyes and looking down, Salem was actually a little surprised to see the bitty responsible for this mess. Keeping a neutral face, Salem stared at him and waited. He didn't say anything, but avoided her gaze. He at least somewhat regret what he did then. With a sigh, Salem reached out and pat the bitty's head. Again, she was surprised to see him not flinch.

 

"Eh, it's fine. You've been through a lot huh? As long as you're sorry..."

 

The bitty seemed to relax immensely hearing this and quickly tried to climb up Salem's leg. He was careful, but still managed to tear up her leggings. Cupping her hands, Salem helped him and placed him in her lap. Content with this, the bitty snuggled close to her and clung to her shirt.

 

"So. Ya have a name? It's easier than calling you by your race."

 

Jumping in surprise, the bitty looked up to Salem with wide yet confused eyes. After a moment, as if trying to understand what she said, the bitty finally shook his head no.

 

"Well... Do you have one you want?"

 

The bitty just stared at Salem now with a strange look but kept silent. Realizing something, Salem blushed.

 

"Oh my gosh. Can you not talk? I'm so sorry!"

 

The bitty shook his head violently making Salem pause in her apology. Raising a brow, Salem looked at the bitty.

 

"So you  _ can _ talk? You just... Don't?"

 

The bitty just kind of shrugged and left it at that. Burying his face into her stomach, Salem decided to let the little fella be for now. By now, Salem could hear sirens and knew that the ambulance was almost here. Looking over to the woman, Salem was glad to see her still conscious and even talking to Papy. Giving a sigh of relief, Salem jolted her head when paramedics burst through the door. They rushed over to the woman and then one branched off to Salem to make sure she was okay.

 

"Are you okay ma'am?"

 

"I'm good. A little shaky but fine."

 

"Can we ask a few questions?"


	3. Well FUnCK

The paramedics wheeled the woman out on a stretcher. They were kind enough to let Papy stay with the woman upon both their requests. They asked Salem basic questions, such as what happened and if she knew anyone to call. Salem shook her head and explained that a bitty had bitten the woman from fear after Salem rescued it. Seeing the potential legal hazard of a bitty injuring a human so badly, the paramedics decided to write it off as an accident. Salem was only too accepting of this, not wanting to sit through court. Though she did feel a little guilty about it, it seemed it was better in the end seeing as the woman agreed to not press charges or anything. Plus it would probably result in the dusting of the poor bitty Salem saved. The owner of the adoption center managed to show up before the woman was taken away and took care of most of the official things.

 

After the paramedics left, the owner came over to Salem and apologized for the experience and thanked her for her help. After talking a while, Salem filled the man in on what happened and explained that she really should head home. Agreeing, the owner looked to the bitty still clinging to Salem and frowned.

 

"I'm guessing you still want to leave him here?"

 

"That would be preferable. I wouldn't be able to care for him properly..."

 

"Okay. That's a shame; he seems to have taken a liking to you. Here, can you hand him to me?"

 

Nodding, Salem grabbed the bitty gently and handed him over to the man. While not nearly as roughly as before, the monster still struggled violently. Not wanting a repeat of what just happened, the man put the bitty down on the counter and took a better look at him.

 

"That's very strange. Not even Fells are this hard to handle. Actually, I've never seen a bitty like this one. You got a rare one miss."

 

"Yeah, I never saw one like him online. You'll take care of him right? He's actually really sweet. I just don't want him ending up getting hurt or hurting someone."

 

"We'll be fine ma'am. Though, it will be difficult to handle him if he keeps acting like this. I'm not sure anyone would be able to adopt him."

 

"Oh! But that's... You'll be good, right buddy? You'll find the best mama ever and she'll love you very much. You just have to be good, okay?"

 

The bitty looked up to Salem with wide eyes and practically soaked up everything she was saying. But as she straightened back up, he started shaking his head and reached out to her. Frowning, Salem looked back and forth between the bitty and the owner.

 

"I can't take you with me bud. I'm sorry..."

 

Shaking his head harder, an electric green glow surrounded the bitty before he disappeared. Startled, the owner looked around in a frenzy to find the now missing bitty. However, he quickly appeared on Salem's shoulder.

 

"Honey... I  _ can't _ . I can barely take care of myself. You'll be fine... Just..."

 

The bitty buried its head in Salem's neck and to her utter surprise, a soft voice rose from it.

 

"Mama... I'll take care of you mama..."

 

Shocked into silence, Salem froze and tried to look down at the bitty. He just spoke. He hadn't spoken at all until just then. Blushing and starting to feel tears gathering, Salem felt reality start to crash down on her. She was now feeling all the panic from the earlier accident and this emotional drama was not helping at all. Choking back a sob, Salem looked to the owner for some kind of help. He reached out to try and take the bitty, but three rather large and menacing gaster blasters aimed not towards his hand, but his face. Now sweating, the owner pulled back his hand slowly and gulped. If the size of the blasters were anything to go by, his head would be more than just zapped like with the other bitties. He would have been dead if they fired. The other bitties gasped at this and a few of the more timid ones hid in the back of their cages. The size of the blasters obviously weren't normal, and frankly they looked even scarier than normal ones.

 

"I-I don't think that... T-This is a problem."

 

Frowning, Salem couldn't stop the tears from falling down her face. In a slight panic, the bitty pulled back and wiped at her tears while crooning comfortingly. At a loss for that to do, Salem looked pleadingly at the owner. What she didn't expect was for a familiar little red sass master to speak up.

 

"just take the damned kid home! god yur makin' this way too difficult toots. hell, ya know more 'bout bitties than most of the employees here. and the kid obviously ain't gonna let ya leave without 'im. just take the chance and keep the damned brat... damn sweetheart. here i thought ya were kinda smart... guess not..."

 

Looking over to Edgy with wide eyes, Salem once again found herself at a loss for words. Edgy, of all the fucking bitties, was trying to help! Even the owner was surprised. Looking back and forth between Salem and Edgy, the owner gave an odd look.

 

"Well. I have to say I agree. While the little guys actions are anything but healthy, it seems to be the best, and safest option. Heck, if Edgy backs you up, then you'd obviously make a great owner."

 

Salem winced at the term owner, but kept silent. Rolling the thought around in her mind, Salem realized he was right.

 

"But... Don't I have to sign stuff?"

 

"That bitty isn't even registered yet. There's nothing to sign. It would take weeks to even get things set up to have him available to adopt. As far as I'm concerned, he's yours, and he seems to agree. And if what Edge says is true, then you're more than capable of caring for him. You even rescued him, didn't you? You're a better owner than most I'd say."

 

Again, Salem kept silent, letting the man's words sink in. The bitty on her shoulder was still crooning over her and patting her face to help her calm down. And oddly enough it was working. Slowly nodding, Salem looked to the owner and gave a weak smile.

 

"Okay. I guess there isn't much choice is there? Heh. I should buy some things then huh?"

 

"Oh no no no! Whatever you get today is on me. And you have a 50% discount for everything you buy from here. It's the least I can do for what you did and for the situation you're in. If you ever have any questions, feel free to stop by. I'm usually in the back of the shop. Just ask for John. Seriously, take whatever you want. You saved my employees life and possibly mine. Heh, not to mention you helped a bitty in need."

 

"A-Are you sure? I can't possibly-"

 

"oh stop complainin' toots and just take what ya need. god i've never seen someone make this much fuss before 'bout free stuff. john here is a good guy. a lil soft tho.”

 

Blushing at this, Salem just sort of nodded and got as few things as she could get away with. Though John still ended up giving her more than what Salem got for her friends. He even had the bitty pick a bunch of clothes, seeing as he was still only wearing a rag. Carrying more bags than even necessary, Salem bowed and kept repeating 'thank you' as she left the center.

 

Now back in her car, Salem just kind of sat in shock. It wasn't until the bitty patted her face softly that Salem snapped out of her daze.

 

"Oh... Well, I guess we should get home then. Uh... Hold on then, little guy."

 

~*~

 

When Salem got back to her house, the little bitty was still on her shoulder. He seemed to like being as close to her as possible, meaning he was practically pressed against the crook of her neck. It tickled and felt odd, Salem was never one for physical contact. The idea actually freaked her out, but for some reason, it was fine with the little Bitty. Parking her car and grabbing her things, Salem went inside and dropped everything in her room. Locking her car from her room with the key button, Salem sighed upon hearing the car beep in response. Salem moved to leave her room again when a body slammed into her. Knocked to the floor, Salem gasped for breath and looked down at her attacker. Riley was hugging Salem in a death grip.

 

"Where have you BEEN?! I was so worried! You didn't even answer my texts!"

 

"Whu-?"

 

"It's midnight! Dammit Sal! I was about to call the cops!"

 

Salem looked at Riley and frowned with guilt. An apology formed on her lips but a thought kept them from being vocalized. Eyes widening, Salem realized the now familiar presence of the bitty on her shoulder was no longer there. Turning pale, Salem tried to push Riley off and checked the floor below her. Did she squash the bitty?! To her relief, not even a pile of dust was to be seen. But that didn't help Salem feel better. Where was the little guy then? With a panicked motion, Salem scanned the room for any sign of the bitty under her care. Finding nothing, Salem turned back to Riley. 

 

"S-Salem... Wha-"

 

"OHMYFUCKINGGOD! Buddy! Nononononononono.  _ NO _ !"

 

With wide eyes, Salem watched in horror as a set of three blasters circled around Riley in a threatening manner. She was completely frozen in place, a smart move really, but tried to look around to find the source of the very real threat. Salem and Riley found it at the same time. A forth blaster rose up and placed itself between Salem and Riley in a protective manner. Sitting atop the blaster, was none other than the little bitty.

 

"STAHP! Oh god, no buddy, calm down. Riley is a friend. She's good! We don't kill friends!"

 

The bitty stayed silent and looked back at Salem with a confused and slightly guilty expression. But before anything else could be said, Riley dropped the ball.

 

"A bitty?! Salem what did you-"

 

Again, the bitty faced back to Riley, apparently not pleased with her tone. Moving the blasters closer to Salem's friend, the two girls paled.

 

"Buddy, no. You can't hurt her. Please don't hurt her. She's my friend. Oh god..."

 

A low growl was emanating from the small skeleton, but he eventually backed off. The blasters all vanished and the bitty was back to sitting on Salem's shoulder and clinging to her hair.

 

"Riley, I am soooo sorry. I didn't think he would hurt you. Jesus. I don't even-"

 

"What... What the actual  _ hell _ Salem? What... Is that a bitty?! I thought you-"

 

"I know! I  _ know _ . But due to... Circumstances, He's mine now and... Look, just... Ugh..."

 

"Salem... It's obviously dangerous! You can't keep it!"

 

"That's kinda just it... When I tried to take him to the adoption center to hand him over... um... Well, the lady's at the hospital now, and the store owner gave me like... a 50% discount on everything from now on..."

 

"Woah woah WOAH! WHAT?! What the  _ fuck _ actually happened?!"

 

"SHH! Don't scare him!"

 

Letting out a gasp, Salem looked down at the bitty and smiled at him reassuringly. Holding out a finger from him to hold, the bitty took it and held it close. Her smile turning into a warmer one, Salem looked back up at Riley. She had her arms crossed but stayed surprisingly silent.

 

"Okay... So um... How do I even explain this? I was heading back to my car when I heard one of those stupid feral dogs attacking something. Being an idiot, I decided to play the hero and chased the thing off. I thought I was saving a cat... Or maybe a raccoon? But instead I found him. He was in pretty bad shape, I couldn't just leave him! So I took him, warmed him up in the car, and went to give him to the adoption center. Which is where things kinda went to hell."

 

Riley stared at Salem, soaking up all this information. Taking a breath, Salem continued.

 

"Things were going well enough, but when the lady working tried to take this lil' guy, he flipped shit and kinda... bit her. It was really bad. I called the hospital and patched her up best I could. When the police showed up, they asked a few questions and just up and left. They didn't seem to want to deal with the politics protecting the little guy, which is fine with me. They probably would have killed him, which is wrong. He's just scared, tired, and stressed. The owner of the place showed up and offered to take the bitty, but the same thing that happened to you changed his mind. Heh, this guy is obviously in no mind to go with anyone else. Heh heh... So after thanking me for saving not only the bitty, his employee, and himself, the owner, John, kinda agreed to help as much as he could with my situation and gave me a permanent fifty percent discount on bitty supplies... That's kinda it?"

 

Riley took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

 

"So... What you're telling me, is that this thing will try to  _ kill _ anyone that tries to separate him from you?"

 

"That's not wha-"

 

"Well, you don’t have much choice then... Do you? Just... What are you going to tell your parents?!”

 

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know yet. I’m so tired… I honestly can’t think…”

 

Riley sighed but nodded. She knew that this was kind of non-negotiable and would be there to help. Sighing in relief, Salem debated hugging her friend into oblivion. But then she remembered the hostile bitty on her shoulder. The bitty was glaring daggers at Riley. Frowning disapprovingly, Salem took the finger he was holding and gently poked him to stop. He did and looked up at Salem with wide eyes. Shaking her head no, Salem sighed.

 

"Okay... I'm seriously exhausted. Can I go to bed now please?"

 

"Yeah... Live yur dream Sal... I'm glad you're safe. I’m gonna go home... See ya around Salem. Same to you lil' buddy..."

 

With an exhausted smile, Salem ushered Riley out of her room and promptly passed out.


	4. My little friend~

Salem moaned and rolled over in her bed. Pulling her blanket over her head, Salem tried to remember if she had work today. She had a vacation coming up, but she had no idea what day it was, let alone when the vacation started. Keeping track of time was not her forte. Thinking about it more, Salem tried to piece together her days. So she had a rare day off, then one more day of work, then her vacation. So... Did she have that day off yet? What did she do yesterday? Did she eat? Was it morning? With squinted eyes, Salem poked her head out of her cocoon of blankets and looked to the window. The thing was completely blocked by black energy saving drapes, but she could still make out some light. So it was either early morning, or raining like a bitch.

 

"Time... whut eez? Fuuuuudge bucket...."

 

With a sigh, Salem flopped back down onto her pillow and closed her eyes. It was around two seconds after this that yesterday's events came flooding back to the poor girl. Snapping her eyes open, Salem sat up abruptly and looked around her dark room in a feverish panic.

 

"Bitty! Buddy? Um... Oh god why don't you have a name?! Buddy boi! Dear lord I lost him! Oh god what if he's  _ dead _ ?! DidIsquishhiminmysleep?! Bitty babu noooo!"

 

Salem was just about to start ripping the sheets off her bed when she heard something move. Freezing, Salem looked towards the source of the sound to find her sheets being torn by tiny white claws. Xee was buried under the now rumpled blankets and was literally clawing his way out. With a gasp of relief, Salem helped dig him out and looked him over for injuries. She was still nervous about touching the small thing. He had been through a lot and was so smol! But the bitty had other plans, for upon seeing Salem, he crawled in a sort of frenzy to sit himself on her lap. He made a noise of content and then looked up at Salem with the sweetest smile.

 

"Morning little guy. Ya sleep well?"

 

The bitty simply looked at Salem, giving no real answer, reminding the girl he didn't talk much. With a slight frown, Salem brought her hand slowly to the bitty and 'pet' his head.

 

"You still need a name.... I know what I  _ can't _ name you... But..."

 

Thinking it over for a moment, and on a whim, Salem smiled and looked to the bitty.

 

"I'll call you Xee! At least until you feel comfortable enough to pick your own name."

 

The newly deemed Xee looked up and Salem with wide eyes and shook his head.

 

"Oh. Do you not like it?"

 

Again, Xee shook his head, only this time more vigorously. Looking at Xee in confusion, Xee let out a whine and looked around him. Grabbing onto Salem's shirt, he covered his mouth and lower face then spoke up.

 

"No! I like 'Xee'. I'm Xee!"

 

Salem starred in slight shock and furrowed her brows.

 

"Why are you covering you face like that?"

 

"...I... I don't like my face..."

 

Salem made an 'oh' noise but decided not to pry any further. Whatever it was seemed personal and Salem didn't want to upset Xee or make him feel uncomfortable.

 

"Are you sure about the name though? I just made it up..."

 

"Y-yeah! It's the name  _ you _ gave me!"

 

Salem blushed a bit at this but smiled anyway. Looking at Xee, Salem frowned a bit. He was still wearing the rag she had found him in last night. Carefully moving the bitty from her lap, Salem leaped off the bed and over to her pile of bags. Xee followed after her to the end of the bed and watched on in slight panic. Finding the bag with bitty clothes, Salem cried out in triumph and scrambled back to the bed.

 

"Let's get you some real clothes! Can't have you wearing that now can we?"

 

Looking through the bag, Salem was slightly surprised to see that most of the clothes Xee picked out were green or black. Shrugging it off, Salem dumped the bag on her bed and started picking through the clothes. Xee joined her, though he was obviously just following her example and didn't actually seem to know what he was doing. This made Salem giggle a bit, causing Xee to look at her. By this time, Salem pulled out a few outfits that Xee could choose from. Laying them out, Salem smiled to Xee, finding him still staring at her. Not really thinking about it, Salem moved on.

 

"What do ya think of these Xee? Anything you would wear?"

 

Xee turned his gaze down to the clothes and simply picked out the first outfit he saw. It was a little punk-ish, but it was adorable nonetheless. Salem smiled at this, only to end up blushing and covering her eyes when Xee started to undress in front of her. Turning her back, Salem squealed as she tried to calm down. Xee tilted his head and pulled at Salem's shirt, still bone-naked. Refusing to uncover her eyes, Salem stiffened, but turned to Xee.

 

"Um... It's just kinda... I wasn't expecting you to... Um... Just hurry up and get dressed okay?"

 

Xee let go of Salem's shirt and quickly got dressed. Pulling at her shirt once again, Salem looked down to see a fully clothed Xee. Sighing in relief, she smiled and leaned down to get a better look at Xee.

 

He wore grey cargo pants, a dark green t-shirt with a black 'x' on it, and under that a long sleeve shirt with black and electric green stripes. The long sleeves went far past his claw like hands. He was so cute! The little guy pulled at his clothes nervously and avoided eye contact. Noticing this, Salem smiled comfortingly.

 

"You are very handsome. It's a good look for ya~"

 

Xee beamed up at Salem and stopped messing with his clothes. Running up to her, the bitty launched himself towards Salem, causing her to have a mini heart attack and scramble to catch him. At the very least, he trusted Salem. A little too much.

 

With that sorted out, Salem suddenly remembered her job. Eyes widening, Salem hastily put Xee back on the bed and scrambled about her room, gathering her things in a panic. It was as she was doing this that there was a knock at her door and her mom let herself in. 

 

"Honey. Salem!  _ Calm down _ . Go back to bed. Riley explained what happened last night. I called your work and they let you have the extra day to add to your vacation. They also asked if you were alright. I told them you were fine, just exhausted."

 

Salem whipped around to look at her mom and stared with wide eyes. Letting this information sink in, Salem rushed her to another and hugged her. Salem simply smiled and started tearing up.

 

"You are the fucking best mom ever, ya know that?! Oh my god thank you so much! I love you!"

 

Salem's mom laughed and hugged her back. She did look worried though.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me? It would have been nice to hear it from you and not your friend.”

 

Salem frowned and looked away feeling guilty.

 

“I was too tired. I'll tell you about it soon okay?”

 

Salem’s mom nodded before a flash signified Xee's sudden presence on Salem's shoulder. Looking down at the bitty in worry, Salem was glad to see him not ready to attack.

 

"By the way, This is Xee. I never did introduce you."

 

"Hello Xee... Welcome to the family."

 

Salem’s mom smiled at the bitty. She was very understanding and a rather open minded person. It was Salem’s dad who would be tricky. But that could come later. For now, Salem looked to Xee to see how he reacted. He of course said nothing in response; though Salem was little upset to see him not even react. He just sort of stared at her mother blankly. At least he wasn't glaring. Letting out a sigh, Salem smiled and shrugged.

 

"He’s a little shy. Anyway... Ima change, so..."

 

Without further explanation, Salem’s mother left the room and closed the door behind her. Salem lifted Xee and once again placed him back on the bed then went over to her dresser to grab some pajamas to relax in. Without really thinking, Salem started to get undressed, but quickly noticed Xee staring at her. Blushing, Salem pulled her pants back up and marched over to the bed. In a slight fit of embarrassed anger, Salem picked up Xee and placed him outside her bedroom door before closing it once again. She didn't even finish turning around before a certain bitty transported back in front of her. Blushing madly now, Salem clenched her fists and looked down at Xee.

 

"What the hell? I'm changing! Get out!"

 

Xee seemed completely unaffected by this statement and instead sat down and looked up at her.

 

"Don't  _ watch _ me!"

 

Xee tilted his head to the side, silently asking why not. Salem groaned and covered her face. He didn't get it. Crouching down, Salem took a deep breath and looked at the bitty with a serious face.

 

"You don't ever watch people change clothes. You just don't do it!"

 

Xee just continued to sit there and only blinked in response. Obviously not understanding, or moving, Salem sighed. There was no way she could explain this to anyone, let alone a skeleton. So with a defeated sigh, Salem picked up Xee again.

 

"Whatever... just... don't turn around, okay? Please don't turn around..."

 

After a moment of thinking it over, Xee nodded and transported to where Salem placed him on the bed earlier. Salem quickly got changed into a baggy t-shirt and shorts then put her clothes in the hamper before calling out to Xee again.

 

"You can look now... Sorry if I look like trash..."

 

Xee turned around and started to smile until Salem called herself trash. Frowning, Xee looked around the bed before just diving into the blankets with a huff.

 

"You're pretty mama! No matter what, you're the prettiest!"

 

Blushing again, Salem stuttered and averted her eyes.

 

"Uh... I'm not... You probably shouldn't call me mama. I'm not a good... motherly person... thing... Uh..."

 

"Then what do I call you?"

 

"My name? Actually no, question. Do you only talk if I can't see your face?"

 

It was Xee's turn to start blushing now as he looked up at Salem in slight shock. But he said nothing and simply looked away in an almost shameful way. Smirking, Salem walked over to her closet and pulled out a box. Shifting through its contents, Salem finally pulled out a black scrap piece of cloth.

 

"Ah-ha! Perfect!"

 

Grabbing scissors and cutting a strip off, Salem then handed it to Xee with a smile.

 

"Try that! Tie it around your neck and cover your face with it! Like a scarf! That's it, perfect!"

 

With some help from Salem, Xee wrapped the makeshift scarf around his lower face. With it his face now hidden, Xee looked up at Salem with shining eyes.

 

"Thank you mama!"

 

"Didn't I just tell you to not call me that? Ya dingus."

 

"Sorry ma-Salem..."

 

"Heh, you're fine honey. Now I don't know about you, but I would absolutely love to go back to sleep."

 

"You're still tired? Are you okay?"

 

"Heh, I'm fine hun~ If you're not sleepy, don't force yourself. You can look around my room if you want. Just don't break anything. And if you can't do something by yourself, ask for help! I don't wanna wake up to find you hurt! And don't try to-"

 

Salem was starting to panic, thinking of all the ways that Xee could get hurt when she found him crawling up next to her.

 

"It's okay... I'll sleep with you. I don't mind!"

 

Blushing again, Salem smiled and laid down in her bed. Getting comfortable, Salem looked to Xee.

 

"If you need anything, just wake me up, okay?"

 

"Okay mama..."

 

Salem was too tired to correct the little guy and just grumbled a bit before once again passing out to sleep.


End file.
